World Autism Awareness Day 2 April 2018 Empowering women and girls with autism

Media Release

As declared by the United Nations, the 2018 World Autism Awareness Day focuses on the importance of empowering autistic women and girls and involving them and their representative organisations in policy and decision making to address these challenges.

"Girls with disabilities are less likely to complete primary school and more likely to be marginalised or denied access to education. Women with disabilities have a lower rate of employment than men with disabilities and women without disabilities. Globally, women are more likely to experience physical, sexual, psychological and economic violence than men, and women and girls with disabilities experience gender-based violence at disproportionately higher rates and in unique forms owing to discrimination and stigma based on both gender and disability. As a result of inaccessibility and stereotyping, women and girls with disabilities are persistently confronted with barriers to sexual and reproductive health services and to information on comprehensive sex education" (United Nations Website).

The Australian Autism Alliance was established in 2016 and is one strong voice for autism. We are a diverse national network combining representative, experienced and expert voices. The Alliance brings together key autism organisations representing people on the autism spectrum, their parents and carers, service providers and researchers who aim to realise the potential of autistic Australians.

On World Autism Awareness Day, the Australian Autism Alliance recognises that autistic women who are socially connected with people like themselves, empowered by their strengths, encouraged to explain their support needs, and valued for their differences become connected and confident members of society.

We've put together some ideas on how to support autistic women. To find out more, click here or just ask an autistic woman.